Free Republic

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Law-abiding Americans increasingly are convinced that their government views them as an enemy, perhaps even a “domestic terrorism threat.” A newly unearthed video may confirm those fears. Bureaucrats in numerous federal agencies apparently tag-teamed with the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that demonizes conservatives and Christians, including groups such as Alliance Defending Freedom and Moms for Liberty, in order to raise money and silence political opponents. The federal bureaucrats reached out to the SPLC, which conservatives criticize as a far-left smear factory, as they planned to combat “the domestic terrorism threat.” I’ve long raised the...

A new report just released by the House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government has offered shocking new insights into the full extent of the FBI’s efforts to use government power and resources to target, intimidate, and harass Catholics, pro-life activists, and other members of the religious community. The December 4 report found, among other disturbing revelations, that the FBI “abused its counterterrorism tools to target Catholic Americans as potential domestic terrorists” when agency operatives in Richmond, Virginia, circulated a memo designating so-called “radical-traditionalist Catholic[s]” as potential “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.” “The Committee and Select Subcommittee...

A California city has become the first in the US to pass a resolution condemning Israel — accusing the Jewish nation of committing “ethnic cleansing and collective punishment.” The resolution passed by the Richmond City Council around 1 a.m. Wednesday states, in part, that Palestinians in Gaza “are currently facing a campaign of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment by the state of Israel.” That “is considered a war crime under international law,” the resolution states. It also calls for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the safe passage of substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza,” as well as an “end to Israeli...

"Rich Men North of Richmond" by Oliver Anthony (@oliveranthonymusic) is a GREAT Song! But what about the "Poor Men South of Portland"?

Country-folk singer Oliver Anthony is denouncing politicians, namely conservatives, and those trying to make his hit song “Rich Men North of Richmond” the new right-wing anthem. In a 10-minute video shared on YouTube on Friday, the musician said, “The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up in this. I’m disappointed to see [it]. Like, it’s aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me, like I’m one of them.” Anthony’s comments come after the GOP’s first debate of the primary season in Milwaukee on Wednesday. A clip of the song was played at...

Multiple FBI field offices were involved in the drafting of a memo targeting Catholics as potential domestic terrorists, a newly unredacted document obtained by House Republicans reveals. The discovery contradicts testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray, who previously claimed under oath only one field office was involved.“This new information suggests that the FBI’s use of its law enforcement capabilities to intrude on American’s First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected,” House Republicans wrote in a letter sent to Wray on Wednesday.Earlier this year, a leaked FBI memo dated Jan. 23 revealed the agency’s Richmond, Virginia, field office was...

RICHMOND, Va. — A teenage gunman opened fire as hundreds of people stood outside after a high school graduation ceremony Tuesday evening in Richmond, Virginia, killing two people and wounding five others, the city’s interim police chief said. As merriment turned to terror around Richmond’s Monroe Park, other people were hurt as they tried to escape the gunfire, including a 9-year-old girl who was hit by a car, Richmond Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards told reporters Tuesday night. Police initially detained two people but later said one was not involved. The other – a 19-year-old who investigators think may have...

RICHMOND, Va. -- Two people were killed and at least five other people were shot following Huguenot High School's graduation ceremony outside the Altria Theater in Richmond, Virginia, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett. Two people were taken into police custody after a shooting. "I've now been told by multiple sources that there 10 victims, five of them are gunshot victims," Burkett reported on CBS 6 News. "The other five are those that were hurt running back inside to the Altria Theater when shots rang out." Burkett said it did not appear the suspects taken into custody were high school...

A multibillion-dollar energy developer has wired tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine's campaign in recent years while aggressively pushing a massive offshore wind project. The Richmond, Virginia-based Dominion Energy's political action committee (PAC) has funneled $23,000 to Kaine for Virginia since 2011, with the latest, a $1,500 contribution, coming in February. In that same time span, Dominion Energy has given another $44,500 to Common Ground PAC, the leadership PAC affiliated with and chaired by Kaine. Since 2021, Dominion Energy executives led by CEO Robert Blue and Senior Vice President William Murray have donated $19,600 to...

Police are in a tense standoff on Richmond Highway (Route 1) in the Hybla Valley area with an armed woman in an incident that may be connected to the case of two missing Maryland women. For the safety of the public, part of Richmond Highway – the major artery through the area – has been shut down since late Tuesday morning. **SNIP** Authorities said they were asked by another law enforcement agency to perform a welfare check in an area just up the street at about 11 a.m. They said they were checking for a missing person in potential danger....

A trio of Florida Republicans are among 20 GOP lawmakers demanding that the FBI explain why it is targeting conservative Catholics for surveillance and intelligence-gathering. Sen. Rick Scott and Reps. Greg Steube and Bill Posey, of Sarasota and Rockledge, respectively, signed a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray expressing deep concerns about the Richmond field office’s warning about “Radical Traditionalist Catholic Ideology.”

FBI Internal Memo Warns against ‘Radical Traditionalist Catholic Ideology’The FBI’s Richmond field office released an internal memo last month warning against “radical traditionalist Catholic ideology,” and claiming it “almost certainly presents new mitigation opportunities,” according to a document shared by an FBI whistleblower on Wednesday. Kyle Seraphin, who was a special agent at the bureau for six years before he was indefinitely suspended without pay in June 2022, published the document, “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities,” on UncoverDC.com. “In making this assessment, FBI Richmond relied on...

It doesn’t matter who is buried, digging up the dead body of anyone laid to rest (besides forensic investigators cracking a cold case) is extremely disrespectful. Richmond, Virginia Democrat Mayor LeVar Stoney ordered a grounds crew to dig up the decomposed body of Confederate General AP Hill. The move by Stoney comes a day after General AP Hill’s statue was taken down and due to his statue being used as a tombstone, his body was removed the very next day.

Democratic National Committee adviser Cedric Richmond argued Thursday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” that President Joe Biden canceling student debt was about “bringing this country together.” Richmond said, “We as a country tell people all the time, education is the best way to lift yourself out of poverty. Then the cost of education is so high that it bars so many people from getting there. Then when they get it, we say that home ownership is the best way to transfer wealth from generation to generation, but they can’t, in fact, buy homes because they’re saddled with student loan debt....

Two men who were allegedly plotting a mass shooting in Virginia are in the state illegally, with one of the men having been deported several times, according to authorities. Richmond Chief of Police Gerald Smith said during a press conference Wednesday that “a hero citizen picked up the phone and overheard a conversation there was a mass shooting being planned here in the city of Richmond, Virginia,” according to NBC 12 Authorities arrested 52-year-old Julio Alvarado-Dubon and 38-year-old Roman Balacarcel, who allegedly planned to shoot up Richmond’s Fourth of July celebration. Both men were charged with being non-citizens in possession...

It's rare for a single election result to spell the likely end of the careers of two politicians, but Virginia Democrats appear to have accomplished just that in 2021. With Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin's two–percentage point upset victory, angry parents likely put an end to the careers of current Gov. Ralph Northam and 2014–2018 Gov. Terry McAuliffe. As we bid adieu to 2021, let's take a ride down memory lane as we also bid good riddance to Northam and McAuliffe. McAuliffe's four years in office were plagued by corporate cronyism, which was not surprising given that an electric car company McAuliffe...

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced on Sunday that the final steps to remove what's left of the memorial to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond would commence on Monday and be "substantially complete" by Dec. 31. The announcement comes a little over a month before Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin takes office. The circle of land around the former statue site will also be transferred from the state to the city of Richmond.

Back on October 1st, Richmond, Virginia public schools superintendent Jason Kamras followed President Joe Biden’s lead and announced a vaccine mandate for all teachers and staff in his district. Those failing to comply would have their pay withheld and could potentially face the loss of their jobs if they didn’t come into line with the policy. But that was then and this is now. The schools were already struggling to fill more than 100 vacancies, almost all of which were driven by the mandate. This week, on Monday night, the School Board was forced to approve 29 more resignations, so...

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) said Monday on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports” that Virginia gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin’s (R) and his supporters did not believe slavery and the Holocaust were real. Stoney is the co-chair of the Terry McAuliffe (D) campaign. Mitchell said, “How did Terry McAuliffe let Glenn Youngkin reframe the debate on education, including things like Toni Morrison’s book ‘Beloved’ becoming a flashpoint in this race with the issue of Critical Race Theory, which is not even taught in Virginia schools, but it’s become, according to most of the polls a big deal?”

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was cut up and hauled away from Richmond's Monument Avenue three weeks ago, but plaintiffs who failed to block the removal want Virginia's Supreme Court to reconsider its decision allowing it.... ... lawyer Patrick McSweeney says his clients "don't think the state owns and controls the monument." The state wants to keep the monument and land while disavowing promises made to obtain them....